Vehicle foot pedal actuator apparatus and method

Abstract

A vehicle foot pedal actuator device is adapted for both depressing a vehicle foot pedal and returning the pedal to its normal position. The actuator device includes a variable length extension assembly adapted to be connected between the vehicle driver's seat and the pedal to be actuated. A drive arrangement is adapted for extending and retracting the extension assembly, and a control system having a moveable remote control unit is adapted for controlling the operation of the actuator from various positions around the vehicle where maintenance and repair work may be performed. The extension assembly preferably includes an elongated extension housing tube adapted to receive an elongated extension member that may be extended and retracted in a telescoping fashion to vary the length of the assembly. The actuator device also includes a connecting arrangement for connecting the extension assembly between the foot pedal to be actuated and the vehicle driver's seat to enable the extension assembly to exert both a pulling and pushing force to work the vehicle pedal. The preferred connecting arrangement includes a seat belt connecting member adapted to receive a portion of the vehicle driver's seat belt so as to hold one end of the extension assembly securely against the front of the vehicle driver's seat. The opposite end of the extension assembly includes a pedal connector for connecting to a particular pedal to impart both a pushing and pulling force to the pedal. Also, in the preferred form of the invention, the control system includes an indicator for providing an indication of the operational status of the device at the remote control unit. The indicator allows the operator to know at the remote location if the extension member is being extended, retracted, or is stationary with respect to the extension housing.

I claim: 
     
       1. A vehicle foot pedal actuator device for actuating the foot pedals of an automobile or the like, the actuator device comprising: A. extension means, adapted to be connected between the vehicle driver's seat and the pedal to be actuated, for extending to depress the pedal and for retracting to pull the pedal back to its normal position;   B. drive means connected to the extension means for selectively extending the extension means with an extending force to depress the pedal to be actuated and retracting the extension means with a retracting force, the drive means being capable of applying the retracting force in substantially the same magnitude as the extending force; and   C. moveable control means for controlling the operation of the drive means from various positions outside of the vehicle passenger compartment.   
     
     
       2. The vehicle foot pedal actuator device of claim 1 wherein the extension means includes: A. an elongated extension housing;   B. an elongated extension member slidably received in the elongated extension housing and drivingly engaged with the drive means; and   C. connecting means for connecting the elongated extension housing and extension member between the foot pedal to be actuated and the vehicle driver's seat so that as the extension member is driven to extend further out of the elongated extension housing, the extension member pushes against and depresses the pedal to be actuated, and so that as the extension member is driven to retract back into the extension housing, the extension member pulls the pedal back toward its normal position.   
     
     
       3. The vehicle foot pedal actuator device of claim 2 wherein the connecting means includes: A. pedal connector means connected to an extending end of the extension member for removably connecting the extending end of the extension member to the pedal to be actuated so that the extension member may impart both a pushing and pulling force on the pedal;   B. a seat front member connected to a seat end of the elongated extension housing and adapted to reside adjacent to the front of the vehicle seat when the extension means is connected between the vehicle driver's seat and the pedal to be actuated; and   C. a seat belt connecting member connected to the seat front member and adapted to receive a portion of the vehicle driver's seat belt so as to hold the seat front member securely against the seat front edge.   
     
     
       4. The vehicle foot pedal actuator device of claim 2 wherein the drive means includes: A. a bi-directional electric drive motor connected to the extension housing; and   B. rack teeth positioned along at least a portion of the extension member;   C. a drive pinion gear adapted to drivingly mesh with the rack teeth on the extension member;   D. a worm gear connected to be driven by the drive motor; and   E. a worm wheel drivingly engaged with the worm gear and the drive pinion gear so that as the worm gear is driven by the drive motor, the worm wheel rotates the drive pinion gear to drive the extension member.   
     
     
       5. The vehicle foot pedal actuator device of claim 4 wherein the control means includes relay means for supplying electric power to the electric motor in either an extending polarity or a reversed retracting polarity. 
     
     
       6. The vehicle foot pedal actuator device of claim 5 wherein the relay means is adapted to prevent the electric motor from simultaneously receiving both extending and retracting power. 
     
     
       7. The vehicle foot pedal actuator device of claim 4 wherein the control means includes: A. a remote control unit having controls for extending and retracting the extension member, and being connected to the drive motor through a suitable remote control electrical connecting cable.   
     
     
       8. The vehicle foot pedal actuating device of claim 7 wherein the control means further includes: A. an extend switch mounted on the remote control unit;   B. a retract switch mounted on the remote control unit;   C. retract relay means for providing retracting polarity power from an electrical power supply to the drive motor in response to a control signal received through closing the retract switch.   
     
     
       9. The vehicle foot pedal actuating device of claim 8 wherein the control means includes: A. retract shutoff switch means for breaking the electrical circuit of the retract control signal when the extension member is fully retracted.   
     
     
       10. The vehicle foot pedal actuating device of claim 9 wherein the control means further includes: A. extend relay means for providing extending polarity power from the electrical power source to the drive motor in response to a control signal provided through the retract relay only when the retract relay is not receiving a control signal through the retract switch.   
     
     
       11. The vehicle foot pedal actuating device of claim 4 wherein the control means is adapted to provide electrical power for the electrical drive motor from the vehicle battery through the vehicle cigarette lighter socket. 
     
     
       12. The vehicle foot pedal actuator device of claim 1 wherein the control means includes indicator means for indicating the operational status of the drive means. 
     
     
       13. The vehicle foot pedal actuator device of claim 12 wherein the indicator means is mounted on a remote control unit and includes an LED display adapted to light one color as the drive motor operates to extend the extension member, to light a different color as the drive motor operates to retract the extension member, and to not light when the drive motor is not operating. 
     
     
       14. A vehicle foot pedal actuator device for actuating a foot pedal of an automobile or the like, the actuator device comprising: A. an elongated extension housing;   B. an elongated extension member slidably received in the elongated extension housing;   C. pedal connector means connected to an extending end of the extension member for removably connecting the extending end of the extension member to a pedal to be actuated so that the extension member may impart both a pushing and pulling force on the pedal;   D. a seat front member connected to a seat end of the elongated extension housing;   E. a seat belt connecting member connected to the seat front member and adapted to receive a portion of the vehicle driver's seat belt so as to hold the seat front member securely against the front of the vehicle driver's seat;   F. drive means connected to the extension housing for selectively extending and retracting the extension member; and   G. moveable control means for controlling the operation of the drive means from various positions outside of the vehicle passenger compartment when the extension member and extension housing are connected between the pedal to be actuated and the vehicle driver's seat.   
     
     
       15. The vehicle foot pedal actuator device of claim 14 wherein the drive means comprises: A. a bi-directional drive motor connected to the extension housing;   B. rack teeth positioned along at least a portion of the extension member;   C. a drive pinion gear adapted to drivingly mesh with the rack teeth on the extension member;   D. a worm gear connected to be driven by the drive motor; and   E. a worm drivingly engaged with the worm gear and the drive pinion gear so that as the worm gear is driven by the drive motor, the worm wheel rotates the drive pinion gear to drive the extension member.   
     
     
       16. A method of remotely operating a vehicle foot pedal comprising the steps of: A. connecting an elongated extension assembly between the pedal to be actuated and the vehicle driver's seat, the extension assembly including an extension member slidably connected to an extension housing in position to extend and retract from the housing to vary the length of the extension assembly;   B. extending the extension member from the extension housing with an extending force provided by an electric motor drivingly engaged with the extension member, the extension member depressing the pedal as it extends; and   C. retracting the extension member back into the housing with a retracting force provided by the electric motor and having a magnitude substantially equal to the extending force, the extension assembly pulling the pedal back to its normal position as the extension member retracts.   
     
     
       17. The method of claim 16 wherein the steps of extending and retracting the extension member include providing electrical power for the electric motor from the vehicle battery through the vehicle cigarette lighter socket. 
     
     
       18. The method of claim 16 wherein: A. the step of extending the extension member includes providing an extension signal from a remote control unit; and   B. the step of retracting the extension member includes providing a retracting signal from the remote control unit.   
     
     
       19. The method of claim 18 including the step of indicating at the remote control unit whether the extension member is extending, retracting, or not moving relative to the extension member housing. 
     
     
       20. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of indicating includes: A. lighting a first color LED as the extension member is extending;   B. lighting a second color LED as the extension member is retracting; and   C. blocking electrical current to both the first and second color LED when the electric motor is not operating.   
     
     
       21. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of connecting the extension assembly between the pedal to be actuated and the vehicle driver's seat includes: A. positioning a first end of the elongated extension assembly to bear against the front edge of the vehicle driver's seat;   B. maintaining the first end of the elongated extension assembly in its position abutting the front edge of the vehicle driver's seat with the vehicle driver's side seat belt;   C. positioning a second end of the elongated extension assembly to bear against the front of the pedal to be actuated; and   D. maintaining the second end of the elongated extension assembly in its position abutting the front of the pedal to be actuated with a pedal connector member that extends over the pedal and includes a portion adapted to bear against the back of the pedal so that extension assembly may impart both a pulling and pushing force to the pedal.   
     
     
       22. The method of claim 16 including the step of: A. holding the extension member in a particular position with respect to the extension housing with a worm gear drivingly engaged with the drive motor and drivingly engaged with the extension member through a worm wheel and pinion gear arrangement.